Esophagus

Esophagus
The esophagus, part of the digestive tract, is a tube that connects the throat with the stomach. It lies between the trachea (windpipe) and the spine. In an adult, the esophagus is about 10 inches long. When a person swallows, the muscular walls of the esophagus contract to push food down into the stomach. Glands in the lining of the esophagus produce mucus, which keeps the passageway moist and makes swallowing easier. It is commonly referred to as the "gullet."
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The portion of the digestive canal between the pharynx and stomach. It is about 25 cm long and consists of three parts: the cervical part, from the cricoid cartilage to the thoracic inlet; the thoracic part, from the thoracic inlet to the diaphragm; and the abdominal part, below the diaphragm to the cardiac opening of the stomach. [G. oisophagos, gullet]
- Barrett e. SYN: Barrett syndrome.

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esoph·a·gus or chiefly Brit oe·soph·a·gus i-'säf-ə-gəs n, pl -gi -.gī, -.jī a muscular tube that in adult humans is about nine inches (23 centimeters) long and passes from the pharynx down the neck between the trachea and the spinal column and behind the left bronchus where it pierces the diaphragm slightly to the left of the middle line and joins the cardiac end of the stomach

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esoph·a·gus (ə-sofґə-gəs) [Gr. oisophagos, from oisein to carry + phagēma food] the musculomembranous passage extending down from the pharynx and emptying into the stomach at the cardiac opening, passing through the diaphragm at the esophageal hiatus. It is divided anatomically into three parts; see pars cervicalis oesophagi, pars thoracica oesophagi, and pars abdominalis oesophagi. The official TA spelling is oesophagus. Called also gullet. esophageal adj

Esophagus, comprising cervical, thoracic, and abdominal parts.


Medical dictionary. 2011.

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  • Esophagus — E*soph a*gus, n. [NL., fr. Gr. o isofa gos; root of o i sw which is used as future of fe rein to bear, carry (cf. Skr. v[=i] to go, drive) + fagei^n to eat.] (Anat.) That part of the alimentary canal between the pharynx and the stomach; the… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • esophagus — late 14c., from Gk. oisophagos gullet, lit. what carries and eats, from oisein, fut. inf. of pherein to carry (see INFER (Cf. infer)) + phagos, from phagein to eat (see PHAGOUS (Cf. phagous)). Related: Esophageal …   Etymology dictionary

  • esophagus — (Brit. oesophagus) ► NOUN (pl. esophagi or esophaguses) ▪ the part of the alimentary canal which connects the throat to the stomach. DERIVATIVES esophageal adjective. ORIGIN Greek oisophagos …   English terms dictionary

  • esophagus — [i säf′ə gəs, ēsäf′ə gəs] n. pl. esophagi [i säf′əjī΄] [altered (after ML) < ME ysophagus, OFr ysofague < ML oesophagus < Gr oisophagos, lit., passage for food < oisein, fut. inf. of pherein, to carry (see BEAR1) + phagein, to eat:… …   English World dictionary

  • Esophagus — Gullet redirects here. For the African sailboat, see Gulet. For the Dutch soccer coach, see Ruud Gullit. Weasand redirects here. For other meanings, see Weasand (disambiguation). Esophagus Head and neck …   Wikipedia

  • esophagus — /i sof euh geuhs, ee sof /, n., pl. esophagi / juy , guy /. Anat., Zool. a muscular passage connecting the mouth or pharynx with the stomach in invertebrate and vertebrate animals; gullet. [1350 1400; < NL oesophagus < Gk oisophágos gullet, lit …   Universalium

  • esophagus — Anterior part of alimentary canal between pharynx or mouth and stomach or stomodeum. (Syn. oesophagus) [Moore and McCormick, 1969]. (Order Cladocera): Relatively short and narrow anterior section of digestive tract. From mouth, esophagus curves… …   Crustacea glossary

  • esophagus — e•soph•a•gus [[t]ɪˈsɒf ə gəs, iˈsɒf [/t]] n. pl. gi [[t] ˌdʒaɪ, ˌgaɪ[/t]] anat. a muscular tube for the passage of food from the pharynx to the stomach; gullet • Etymology: 1350–1400; < ML isophagus, esophagus < Gk oisophágos gullet …   From formal English to slang

  • Esophagus — stemplė statusas T sritis virškinimo aparatas atitikmenys: lot. Esophagus; Oesophagus ryšiai: platesnis terminas – virškinimo aparatas siauresnis terminas – adventicija siauresnis terminas – gūžys siauresnis terminas – išilginis sluoksnis… …   Paukščių anatomijos terminai

  • Esophagus — stemplė statusas T sritis gyvūnų anatomija, gyvūnų morfologija atitikmenys: lot. Esophagus; Oesophagus ryšiai: platesnis terminas – kaklas …   Veterinarinės anatomijos, histologijos ir embriologijos terminai

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